Obituaries as published in the December 11, 2002 edition of The Atmore Advance
Published 7:12 pm Wednesday, December 11, 2002
By Staff
Reese Barron
Williams
December 6, 2002
Funeral services for Reese Barron Williams, 61 and a resident of Atmore, willb e held on Dec. 14, 2002 at 1 p.m. at Mt. Shiloh Baptist church. Interment will follow in the church cemetery.
Family Hour will be held from 6-7 p.m. on Dec. 13, 2002 at Robinson Funeral Home. He died on Dec. 6, 2002 in a Fort Walton Beach, Fla., nursing home.
Robinson Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Ethel Mae McMillan
Thomas Staples
December 5, 2002
Funeral services for Ethel Mae McMillan Thomas Staples, 100, were held on Dec. 10, 2002 at Mt. Gillead Misisonary Baptist Church, with Dr. Alfonzia Williams, Sr., officiating. Interment follow at Lucious Cemetery in Atmore.
Born on May 16, 1902 in Monroe County to Rev. and Mrs. James W. and Annie McMillan, she was a resident of the Freemanville community for 63 years. She joind the Mt. Gillead Baptist Church after moving to Freemanville in 1939, and she remained a member until her death. She was a member of the Sunday School Class #1, a member of the Senior Choir and a member of the Missionary Society under her health failed.
She was also a member of the Order of Eastern Star Good Will Chapel #845. She died on Dec. 5, 2002.
She was preceded in death by her two husbands, James Lee Thomas and Frank Staples, and by four children, Curtis, Bernice, Fannie and James.
She is survived by her three daughtes, Annie Demery, Bettye (Edward) Adams, Barbara (Willie) Dukes, all of Atmore; three sons, William (Elzertha) Thomas of Winter Haven, Fla., Bernard (Wilma) Thomas of Atmore and Johnny Fred (Elsworth) Thomas of East Orange, N.J.; a sister, Viola Williams of New York, N.Y.; 55 grandcihldren, 95 great-grandchildren, 45 great-great-grandchildren, a great-great-great-grandchild, 12 step-grandchildren and a host of step great-great-great and great-great-great cihldren, alogn iwth a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends.
Pallbeares were Edward Adams Jr., Kevin Bolden, anthony Young, Reginald Adams, Dexter Adams and Danny Poers. Flower beares were membes of the Order of Eastern Star Good Will Chapel #845.
Robinson Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
William Otto Blanton
December 7, 2002
Funeral services for William Otto Blanton, 92 and a resident of Atmore, were held on Dec. 10, 2002 at Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home Chapel, with Dr. Douglas Newton officiating. Interment followed at Oak Hill Cemetery.
Born in Bratt on April 3, 1910 to the late Franklin Sylvester and Ada Lambert Blanton, he was a retired Correctional Officer with the State of Alabama. He died on Dec. 7, 2002 in Pensacola.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Louise Blanton, and a son, Cecil Earl Blanton. As of Dec. 7, 2002, he was the oldest living member of First United Methodist Church in Atmore.
He is survived by a won and daughter-in-law, Joe and Cheryl Blanton of Atmore; a brother, Dr. Franklin Sylvester Blanton of Gainesville, Fla.; a sister, Hazel B. Jones of Atmore; two granddaughters, Kimberly Dawn Blanton of Bay Minette and Kristi Nicole Blanton of Destin; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Active pallbearers were Kenneth Blanton, Ray T. Blanton, James Smith, Ronnie Brown, James Brown and Tim Gibbs. Honorary pallbearers were the First United Methodist Church's Men's Bible Class.
Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home, Inc., was in charge of arrangements.
Thadis Wayne
Johnson
December 4, 2002
Funeral services for Thadis Wayne Johnson, 64, were held on Dec. 8, 2002 at the Moyeville Baptist Church, with Rev. James Pugh officiating. Interment followed at Moyeville Cemetery.
A native and lifetime resident of Moyeville, he attended the Baptist Church. He died on Dec. 4, 2002 at a Mobile hospital.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Walter and Lizzie Johnson; a grandson, Justin Wayne Johnson; and two sisters, Evelyn Hellinger and Edna Chancery.
He is survived by his wife of 42-1/2 years, Della Johnson of Flomaton; his son and daughter-in-law, "Pebo" and Tammy Johnson of Loxley; five daughters, Debra (Jessie) Boutwell of Perdido, Diane (Wayne) Burkett of Atmore, Tammy (Leon) Hadley of Flomaton, Sandra (Freddie) Stewart of Perdido, and Toni "Tootsie" (Dale) Green of Loxley; three sisters, Esther Smith of Pensacola, Eula Faye Williamsson of Baker, Fla., and Shirley Hollington of Flomaton; 17 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Pallbearers will be Tom Hellinger, Dempsey Hadley, Joseph Hadley, Jessie Boutwell, Jr., Scottie Burkett, Stephen Burkett and Dwayne Stewart. Honorary pallbearers will be Chirstopher Stewart, Dylan Johnson and Jacob Stewart.
Eastside Chapel Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.